The present invention relates to the field of boating, and provides a hand-held, wireless device for remotely controlling the operation of a yacht or other marine vessel.
Owners and operators of boats are familiar with the problems associated with maneuvering a boat in a confined space. The problem is especially acute when the boat is in port or when mooring or docking. The person operating the controls may not be in the best location on the boat to monitor the movement and position of the boat relative to the dock. It is therefore usually necessary to seek assistance from another person, who is located either elsewhere on the vessel or on the dock. But difficulties often occur in communications between an operator at the helm, and persons located elsewhere on the boat, or on the dock. A failure of communication, or a miscommunication, can lead to damage to the vessel, or damage to nearby vessels. It can even cause injury to persons in the vicinity.
It has therefore been recognized, in the prior art, that the above-described problems could be ameliorated by providing a remote control device for the boat. If a boat can be controlled remotely, an unassisted operator could, in theory, control the boat while monitoring the position of the boat relative to the dock from a position offering greater visibility.
Various examples of such attempts at remote control are shown in the U.S. patent literature. U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,411 describes a hand-held remote control device for a boat, the device being connected, by a cable, to the outboard powerhead of the boat. Other examples of remote control, in the marine field, are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,614,900, 5,725,402, 5,741,166, 6,264,513, 6,431,930, 6,508,190, and 6,520,105. Some of these patents describe wireless control devices, and some describe devices that are connected only by cables. The disclosures of all of the above-cited patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
None of the cited prior art provides a practical, compact, hand-held wireless remote control device that allows essentially full control over the operation of a yacht or other marine vessel. The present invention fills this need, making it easy for an unassisted person to perform tasks, such as mooring or docking, that otherwise would require additional crew members.